Bryan J. Peterson

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he raced his own car, #83B, and found great joy in the excitement, competition, and camaraderie that came with the sport.

Bryan James Peterson, 65, Weyerhaeuser, WI, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, July 11, 2026, following a heart attack.

He was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and following graduation in 1980 from Memorial High School, followed the family to Bruce. He attended the Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College (now known as Northwood Technical College) in Rice Lake and Superior in the Automotive Technician program.

The whole family has long been interested in racing, so when he could, he raced his own car, #83B, and found great joy in the excitement, competition, and camaraderie that came with the sport.

His work experience has been automotive repair, retail sales and real estate. He worked as a mechanic at Al’s Sunshine Car Clinic in Bruce, and later in retail sales at Kohls in Eau Claire, Holiday Station Store in Ladysmith, Goodwill in Rice Lake and he also worked with his dad at Jim Peterson Realty. He was also at Aldi’s and Harbor Freight in Rice Lake, and Dollar General in Birchwood, but most recently at Farm & Fleet, also in Rice Lake. He enjoyed meeting and being around new people,

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Bryan will be remembered for his passion for racing, and ability to tell any story to anyone he met.

Bryan was preceded in death by his parents, James ("Jim") Peterson and Barbary ("Barb") Peterson; his brother, Blaine Peterson; his paternal grandparents, Edgar and Arlene Peterson; his maternal grandparents, Charles and Edna Plummer; and his uncle, Rodney Hunter.

He is survived by his brother, Jay (Julie) Peterson; his sister-in-law, Nancy Peterson; his aunt, Judith Hunter; cousins, Scott Hunter and Stephanie Stewart; Stephanie's children, Jacob, Zachary, and Bayley; nephews, Keith (Kelly) Kahl, Kevin (Kim) Kahl, and great nephews and nieces, Trent, Eliott, Emitt and Grace, and newest addition to the family, Waylon.

Bryan will be remembered for his passion for racing, and ability to tell any story to anyone he met.

A small celebration of life will be held at the American Legion in Bruce, 823 Main St, on Saturday, Aug 1, 2026, 1 – 3 pm. Kilcoyne Memorial Services in Rice Lake and Nash-Jackan Funeral Home in Bruce have assisted the family.

A complete obituary will also be published in the Ladysmith News.